Protests Erupt at Puri Jagannath Temple Over Hindu Lynching in Bangladesh

December 26, 2025 Tensions across South Asia reached a boiling point today as hundreds of activists from the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) staged a massive protest rally outside the historic Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha. The demonstration follows a series of brutal lynchings of Hindu minorities in neighboring Bangladesh, which have sparked international condemnation and a diplomatic rift between New Delhi and Dhaka.

Escalating Violence in Bangladesh

The unrest was triggered by the horrific lynching of Dipu Chandra Das, a 27-year-old garment factory worker, in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district on December 18. Das was reportedly beaten and his body set ablaze by a mob following unverified allegations of blasphemy.

The situation worsened on Wednesday night when a second Hindu man, Amrit Mondal (also known as Samrat), was beaten to death in the Rajbari district. While the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government has attributed some incidents to criminal activity rather than communal targeting, Hindu organizations in India describe the events as a “systematic persecution” of minorities.

Protest at the Gates of Puri

In Puri, protesters gathered in front of the Singhadwara (Lion’s Gate) of the Jagannath Temple, holding saffron flags and chanting slogans against the Bangladesh administration.

• Demands for Justice: The activists called for immediate UN intervention and urged the Indian government to take a “tougher stand” against Dhaka.
• Security Concerns: Speakers at the rally highlighted that the “Jagannath culture” represents peace, but warned that the silence of global human rights bodies over the killing of Hindus is “deafening.”

“We cannot remain silent while our brothers are being targeted across the border. This is a warning to the world,” said a VHP coordinator during the rally.

Diplomatic and Regional Fallout

The violence has severely strained India-Bangladesh ties. In the last 48 hours:

• Envoy Summons: Both countries have summoned each other’s high commissioners in a tit-for-tat diplomatic exchange.
• Visa Suspension: Bangladesh has suspended visa and consular services at several missions in India, citing security concerns after protesters tried to storm diplomatic premises in New Delhi and Kolkata.
• Global Reactions: The UN Secretary-General and U.S. lawmakers have expressed “grave concern,” calling on the interim government to ensure the safety of all citizens regardless of faith.

Current Status

In Bangladesh, the interim government faces a double-edged crisis: handling the fallout from the assassination of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi—which sparked the initial wave of lawlessness—and containing the communal violence that has followed. In India, security has been tightened around all Bangladeshi diplomatic missions as right-wing groups vow to continue their “protest till justice is served.”